Julie k- you have interesting replies. I like your style. I wanted to start a new thread so I can stop taking over sarahdees.
I like how creative you are about redirecting the zoomies. I had started teaching Rocky leg weaves but I did not keep up with it. He is a very fast learner and loves to do shaping exercises. I think he may be mixed with a working breed. Problem with his zoomies etc. Is it can be very rude. Particullarly to men. I have tried the advice of keeping him on leash but when he calms and I remove the leash you never know when he is going to decide to let it all out. For example there was one time a male visitor came and sat on the couch. Rocky had already calmed. When all of a sudden he came zooming through the living room up the couch and ran across this mans back. So rude. Lucky he understood. Rocky seems to know who he can and can not do this too. He is usually quite calm at home with ocasional zooms. except when visitors come he gets so excited he cant controll himself. So I am wondering how do I know when he will zoom or do you just go right into showing off the can to trash game etc as soon as visitors enter? Do you have any other crative ideas for the zoomies episodes and also Im curious do they do this forever or is there an age they kind of stop? I actually think it is kind of funny to watch him zoom but not up someones back. Maybe when I get rid of the carpet which could be this fall he wont zoom as much the first time he slides across the room.

Hey, Rockermom! My boy George is really hyper. When we have company over, I settle the company first with George in his crate, get out some treats and a dozen or so cans. Company is always amazed and he really likes to show off. We're even adding flourishes because it's becoming old hat to him. When he's done, you can almost hear him sigh and say, 'whew, I needed that'! Then he can be calm around company. If he starts being a pest, I ask him to do something.
Running tight spins or circles around me are fun and keep the dog close if you want them to be, or further away if you want. This works well for dogs who have high flight response to stress, too. I have had bitches who think it's real funny to back around me.
And targets are great to get huggy feely dogs away from guests. It's not a punishment thing, it's a reinforcement thing.
Teaching relaxation away from stimuli helps tremendously, takes 7 to 8 months for the dog to start knowing how to apply it, less if you start it with a puppy.
Maturity helps, but often, if you have a hyper dog, you have a hyper dog. Like George is now a mature hyper dog who has learned to enjoy relaxing and being mellow. I think he probably knows more than any dog I've ever owned or trained because he is so hyper.

Well Rocky is kind of my first dog. Came from shelter at 4 months and did not seem at all hyper. Kind of laid back and lazy. Then one day the zoomies came out. He can be quite calm but as I said he will just let it all out. He has gotten much better about jumping on people. He still does but not half as much. He is a about a year old now and I am looking forward to maturity when it comes to picking up and trying to eat and chew everything on the ground. He is not really a love and hugs kind of dog. But gets very excited when someone comes in the door. After a bit he just hangs out lays down. Im not sure what the flight thing is you talked about. Can you explain that? I am not positive if Rocky is a mix or what he is mixed with. Rocky has shown some temperment or traits that seem to be of other breeds. So far I am quite pleased with the training we have achieved so far since he responds so well to regular comands being a puppy and more obedient that friends dogs who have had dogs for years.

Dogs response to stress are fight, flight, and freeze. I currently have two who do flight who are now able to contain that to a spin or two if they must.
Stress is not always a totally negative thing; it can be too much partying---excitement, overstimulated, etc.
If he goes and lays down, make sure he knows how special he is for doing that!

George has several targets he thinks are fun. He has his kitchen stool, a fold up two stepper, with which he has several different behaviors. He can do a stand stay from behind it or in front of it and put his chin on the seat part. He can put his front feet only on the lower step and stay there. He can climb up the front and sit on the seat (he has to tuck his tail to do this or he will get stuck on the bar), and he will stay there happily or show it off to company.

Yeah We have done some of this in a training class I attended with ROcky. He loves shaping and target stuff. I have been so busy and lazy too this summer. He loved playing the box game. Which I used a plastic milk crate. I stated to teach put the ring on the bottle game but never kept up. I will try to get back to it and let ya know how it goes. Once the kids go back to school I may get back on track. Not to mention my Dad is an agility trainer and his friend has 60 acres and a full size training area. They are hour away so I never get there. Plus its not fenced and I dont have a recall that I am confident with. He is unpredictable, just as it seems he has a great recall if the gate was left open he would take off and not come when called. However I have been told if the other dogs which he knows and respects stay about he probably would stick with them.
Here he is a few months ago playing the box game.